Election Commission of India Predicts Major Voter Exclusions in West Bengal's Draft List

The Election Commission of India has announced that around 43.30 lakh names may be excluded from West Bengal's draft voters' list, set to be published on December 16. This estimate, based on the digitization of enumeration forms, includes a significant number of deceased and untraceable voters. Political parties, particularly the BJP, have expressed skepticism about the accuracy of these figures, prompting calls for a review of the enumeration process. The situation is evolving as the final numbers may change with ongoing digitization efforts.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 2, 2025, 11:51 IST

Significant Changes Expected in Voter List

Kolkata: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has projected that approximately 43.30 lakh names will be removed from the upcoming draft voters' list, which is scheduled for release on December 16. This estimate is derived from the ongoing digitization of enumeration forms collected by booth-level officers (BLOs).

According to officials from the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in West Bengal, this figure is preliminary and may rise as the digitization process progresses.

As of October 27, the total voter count in West Bengal stands at 7,66,37,529.

Insiders from the CEO's office indicated that out of the 43.30 lakh names earmarked for exclusion, around 21.45 lakh are deceased voters, while approximately 5.5 lakh are untraceable. Additionally, about 15.10 lakh voters have relocated, and nearly one lakh are identified as bogus or fake voters. The status of untraceable voters may change as some could potentially be located later.

As of Monday evening, the ECI has pinpointed 2,208 polling booths in West Bengal that do not contain any deceased voters, duplicate entries, or voters who have moved away.

Interestingly, the BJP has raised concerns regarding the absence of deceased or duplicate voters in these booths, calling for a thorough review of the enumeration forms collected.

On Monday, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, urged the ECI to audit the enumeration entries from the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) conducted on November 26, 27, and 28, during which a record 1.25 crore entries were made.